On May 12, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved marketing for Glas Inc., which is trying to sell four kinds of flavored vapes.
This decision flies in the face of a previous FDA decision, which bans “fruit and candy flavored vapes.” The Supreme Court upheld that policy as recently as last year.
While Glas Inc. has promised to enforce age-restrictions via “a government-issued ID and Bluetooth connection with one’s smartphone,” flavored vapes are known for their appeal to children and adolescents, who can become addicted to it. Both of these demographics have gotten their hands on flavored vapes and e-cigarettes illicitly.
This comes shortly before the ouster of former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary after the behest of the pharmaceutical industry and anti-abortion extremists. Trump was reportedly upset with Makary for “not approving flavored vape and nicotine products fast enough.” Trump was also convinced by the tobacco company R.J. Reynolds to embrace nicotine and flavored-tobacco products.
This decision led to the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr.’s chief spokesperson, Rich Danker, on May 13, due to the approval of flavored e-cigarettes.
